Ducati Monster Forum

Out of respect for the condolences expressed in the other thread I'll start this one to keep things separate.

 I first heard about from a blip on MSNBC when I turned my computer on this morning. Massive talent taken away so early in his career, it reminded me of so long ago when Jarno Saarinen passed. Having finished viewing the BBC broadcast the last word from them is that CE II has a separated shoulder and I thought I heard them report Rossi was in the care center also with minor injuries. They made the only right decision to call the race with that many injuried already. Unfortunately the fans acted in an entirely inappropriate manner after the announcement, littering the front straight with trash and bottles.

I check BBC sports and Steve Parrish has blogged that he thinks Vale may call it quits after this.

Sad day.

I'm wondering about Colin.

The video of him standing there in pain looking at Marco in disbelief was surreal.

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised. Vale's front wheel pretty clearly hits Super Sic's helmet in the YouTube video. Given that Super Sic was Vale's good friend, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see him hang it up...and if that happens, in this manner, I think MotoGP is done.

Just God awful news. My thoughts and prayers go to Marco's family and friends. And to Colin Edwards and Vale. To be involved in a tragic fatal accident at any level could haunt you for the rest of your life. Especially the death of a friend.

I know we all joked around in previous race threads about who Super Sic would take down in the next race and we all had a good time with it. But I still admired his on track tenacity and his off track persona. He was a racer to the bone and a great character off the bike. He was hard not to like.

The grid will forever have a huge hole in it. I think he would have continued to have a tremendous impact on the sport. I'm glad I got to see that great battle between he and Dovi last race. They grew up fighting in races like that since they were kids!

Terribly sad day.

I've seen a ton of this guys other videos on youtube. Him and Colin Edwards always seem so cheerful about what they do. I really cant believe he was killed this morning in a freak accident.

He really put on a great show this year too. Sad to see he has been taken away from us at this early age. RIP Marco Simoncelli.

I hope Colin and Vale are okay too. Seeing Colin Edwards body expression to marco was almost too much too watch.

This may sound goofy to some but maybe a forum member with graphic art skills could come up with a small "58 Super Sic" decal in Simoncelli's honor. The teenage girl next door (who's now in college) had a high school friend who played football and driving home after a game he lost control of his car, crashed and died. Very sad, very popular kid. I think every kid in that school had a sticker on the back window of their car with his playing number on it and his nickname. I'd see them everywhere I drove and thought it was a very nice gesture. I still see it on her car when she comes home from college. Just a thought. I'd put a 58 Super Sic on my helmet. [thumbsup]

Available already, in various sizes upon request.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marco-SIMONCELLI-car-sticker-vinyl-decal-MOTO-GP-tribute-detail-CAR-BIKE-other-/330630426670?pt=UK_Sports_Memorabilia_ET&var=&hash=item7dbd488e55 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marco-SIMONCELLI-car-sticker-vinyl-decal-MOTO-GP-tribute-detail-CAR-BIKE-other-/330630426670?pt=UK_Sports_Memorabilia_ET&var=&hash=item7dbd488e55)

I don't know if it's speculative or honorable....

Nasty pic warning... (Seriously, not gruesome, but _very_ sad. Think twice before clicking)

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z211/rzcrew421/article-2052436-0E7EECB000000578-315_634x345.jpg (http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z211/rzcrew421/article-2052436-0E7EECB000000578-315_634x345.jpg)

Won't surprise me at all if Vale quits...

big

Holy shit!! :o Can I have that click back? From that angle, as opposed to the youtube videos taken from behind, that photo depicts Rossi's bike doing the most damage. Am I seeing that right? No one could have survived that impact from both bikes. No way. How on God's green Earth did Rossi keep his bike up and onto the grassy run off area? Awful yet amazing. Again, RIP Marco.

I thought edwards was the one who really hit him hard. but after that i can see why rossi shook his head after looking back. I hope rossi can get pass this.

Wow. Why didn't he just let go of the bike I keep asking myself.

That's horrible.  He never had a chance. :(

dude looked like he could of saved it. Im sure he felt that way, but just didnt think about getting nailed from behind like that.

was there any reason why his dainese air bags never deployed?

I too wonder that. Push it off and just slide. How was he going to save that? Maybe that's just who he was as a racer. Fight that pregnant dog all the way. Makes sense given the balls to the wall, no prisoners way he raced. Damn. Still hurts to think about this and I just pray for Rossi and Edwards that their hearts and minds can deal with this. Just awful. :P

This

:(

:'(

Everything happened so fast. With left leg was still tangled, maybe it was intended for the bike to naturally go down once it hit the grass, but probably wasnt expecting the bike to veer right so violently. Once the ass was on the footpegs, there was no controlling the bike.

I'm curious about that too

As much as I don't want to know how Rossi and Edwards are feeling right now, I do want to hear what their next step is

We know for sure the bags didn't go off?

Not sure they would have done much to defend against severe head trauma.

Sad, freak accident....but Simo, more than anyone, would have insisted that the show go on.

It would be 'convenient' for Rossi to quit after this, if he wants an out, but I hope these guys are all too professional to fold the tent.  They all know why they wear gear...

(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj19/DrunkenMonkey_bucket/SuperSic.jpg)

Great photo by a friend of mine. Not sure which GP is was taken at...

Awesome picture

It looked to me like initially (from Bautista's camera) he was just trying to save the lowside with his knee like those guys do fairly regularly. Something happened though, like the tires gripping unexpectedly, and he was whipped to the right. At that point I think he was just along for the ride. Weird crash.

Such a bummer.  :'(

That picture of the crash is brutal.

That's the take I have gleaned. Front tire caught traction while crashing and flung he and the bike across the track in front of Edwards and Rossi. He hung on and into the path of Edwards and Rossi he went. They both hit him solid, maybe more so for Rossi. [thumbsdown] Either way, doesn't matter. Bad news either way you look at it. :P

Sorry about that, I'll go back and edit to strengthen the warning...


Yeah, I think so - it explains Rossi's body language immediately after the crash, and this expression:

(http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx71/dinootf/303031_251512434896277_183477595033095_695635_1609984077_n.jpg)

big

Hard part for Rossi is they were not only competitors, they were actually very good friends. Of all the people to hit him. I really feel for him. In the replay you can see it looks like Edwards tries to get up to go over to Marco but was in a lot of pain himself.

As for the crash the commentators reported that the impact had tore his helmet off. 

Aweful!    :-[ 

I saw "RIP Marco" on a couple FB pages tonight and thought of Marco Melandri.  Wasn't even thinking until the crash happened that it was Marco Simoncelli.  My first thought..like a few others have already mentioned..Rossi will retire after this season.  Will we even see a Valencia race?  The champion has already been crowned.   

Ugh..just saw it again in slow motion.  He was gone instantly.  Very sad.   

I've chosen not to watch anything to do with the crash, but I have heard that that impact ripped off the helmet. Not sure at this point if he would have survived even with the helmet, but I wonder if they will go ahead and develop something more secure that would allow full head mobility, but secure fit.

i'm not sure there is any kind of protection you could put on that would survive being hit by 2 motogp bikes at full tilt.  this accident just sems to be that 1% freak occurrence that you cant plan around.  racing's always dangerous, we just tend to forget that that 1% always exists.

I agree with the inherit danger of racing and, reading the descriptions, the chances of him surviving this specific crash even with his helmet on were slim. I just wonder if they can take this opportunity to develop a mechanism that would hold the helmet in place better during a crash. basically, right now the same strap that we used on a day to day ride is used to fasten a pro racing helmet. They have developed padding and shells, why not something to keep it on your head better?

I agree like a clamping mechanism under the helmet.  I'm sure some people will develop something as it is clear the strap ripped in the videos.  But it was a freak accident the 1% chance happened in it.  That pic is so damn horrible and the way edwards and rossi reacted I can't imagine their pain.

YES...and like after Kato's death at Suzuka, when the next race, all riders wore or had somewhere on themselves or bike or both a memorial remeberance of the passing of a fellow competitor....they too will all go on...though the impact personally may differ from rider to rider....

RIP Marco...

+1 on this.

Should we always strive to make racing, riding, driving, cooking, showering as safe as possible? Of course. Will there eventually be cases that we cannot predict/cover/protect from? Unfortunately yes. Death is inevitable, we're just trying to cheat it as long as possible.

Wow, how heartless of you to say something like this right now.  ???  [thumbsdown]

RIP 58  :'(

<mod hat>
Let's not make this personal.
</mod hat>

Drunken Monkey's point aside, being involved in the death of another person changes you in ways you can't understand until you go through it yourself.

If he wanted to stop racing over this most reasonable people wouldn't blame him.  I wouldn't.

true, but that's not the way the original comment reads (to me).

it reads more like "if rossi has been looking for an excuse to quit, now's a perfect time to say that it's because of marco."


we did the same thing in the cmra when ryan smith died (spies' #19 that he ran in worldsbk).


one thing that i, surprisingly, haven't seen mentioned is that copious amount of hair marco was stuffing in his lid. i've always wondered how that affected "fit" and how safe that was.

it occurred to me, but I thought it was a bit too fresh to say it yet....

It's been brought up in every forum/list I'm on that discussed it, but not by the MGP or any commentators.  I cannot believe they haven't brought it up in private though.

Simo wouldn't have been Simo without it though...

that's exactly what happened.  he was trying to save it; a normal lowside would have washed him off the left side of the track, out of harms way.  however the front tire suddenly found traction and whipped he and the bike back across the racing line; it was nearly perpendicular.  think the violence of a rear catching and causing a highside, only the other way around.  he was literally thrown in front of Colin and Valentino, nothing anyone could do.

as for the helmet, it looks like the impact struck an anchor point directly.

unbelievable tragedy.  i'm so sorry, Marco.  rest in peace.


incidentally, i thought Ben Bostrom's tribute comments were especially poignant.

 I missed those...can you post them directly?...so much flying everywhere on this...

Found this video of Capirossi & Rossi discussing the accident in the box. (You can't hear what they say, but it should be clear from the gestures)
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2702/file11947i.mp4 (http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2702/file11947i.mp4)

One thing I had always looked for was whether he died on impact, was knocked unconscious or was concious. From the wreck footage and everything I had read it said and looked like he was either dead or out initially and they had to perform CPR.  Then I read a press release from MotoGP that said he was conscious... that's the one I was hoping I didn't find.

Sounds like he was never conscious to me:

When our medical staff got to him he was unconscious. In the ambulance because there was a cardiac arrest they started CPR (cardiac pulmonary resuscitation).

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/Race+Direction+press+conference+Simoncelli+Sepang (http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/Race+Direction+press+conference+Simoncelli+Sepang)

http://www.bikesportnews.com/news-detail.cfm?newstitle=MotoGP-Sepang:-Race-cancelled-after-Simoncelli-crash&newsid=5944 (http://www.bikesportnews.com/news-detail.cfm?newstitle=MotoGP-Sepang:-Race-cancelled-after-Simoncelli-crash&newsid=5944)

" Initally, Simoncelli was laid in the middle of the track after his helmet had been ripped off in the accident but he arrived at the medical centre conscious."

Well, I'd tend to believe the MotoGP Medical Director comments over the independent article. I guess it's possible he could have been conscious for a very short time between the CPR in the ambulance, and the CPR in the medical center.

probably better press for the MotoGP if he didn't regain consciousness, so, I'll go with the independent reporter. I work for a PR shop, the business comes first.

if that is the case then i doubt there is much you can do to increase the helmet safety.  i was thinking maybe kevlar reinforced straps if it was the straps that let go, but if there is direct damage to the anchor point then there really isnt too much you can do i think.  there is only so much engineering can do before simple physics will just take over.

or maybe some kind of full neck enclosure system that would distribute the anchor points around the whole frame of the helmet... but then would add the danger of choking the rider.

With all due respect to both riders this whole incident reminds me in a sad/weird way of what happened to Dolph. Only in the way that Dolph rode and Super Sic raced with a passion that most of us can recognize but few embrace. Both had a balls to the wall all the time mentality while on the bike. I can only imagine that's the way they wanted to live their lives. Most of us, me included, rachet it back a few notches and last a lot longer. But there is never a guarantee. You could get hit by falling space debris mowing the lawn this upcoming weekend. It's all caused by living. RIP to both Dolph and Super Sic. Thanks for sharing your lives with us. [thumbsup] [Dolph] [beer]

good piece by 34

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Oct/111024-34-rip-sic.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2011/Oct/111024-34-rip-sic.htm)

I'm pretty sure I've seen Simoncelli's helmet come off in a crash before... I don't remember when, but with all the practice/qualy sessions I've watched I'm fairly certain.  He most likely wore a helmet a few sizes too big to keep all that hair.  You'll also notice in football that the guys with lots of hair tend to lose their helmet quite a bit as well. 

RIP Marco.  Regardless of the helmet issue, there was virtually no chance of surviving that hit from two bikes.

+1

Great article, thanks for posting it.

i just read that Sic was from Rimini, like Paso...   :-\

http://motomatters.com/news/2011/10/24/colin_edwards_updates_fans_on_facebook_p.html (http://motomatters.com/news/2011/10/24/colin_edwards_updates_fans_on_facebook_p.html)

I just ran across this

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/174338/1/brivio_rossi_will_not_retire.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/174338/1/brivio_rossi_will_not_retire.html)

Yeah. That was a very touching, very personal piece. He wasn't just a fierce racer, he was a very real person and a great character. All of that made him so likeable. He so reminds me of Rossi in that way. No wonder they were good friends. Cut from the same bolt of cloth.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95645 (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95645)

http://superbikeplanet.com/2011/Oct/111024rossi-no-plans.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2011/Oct/111024rossi-no-plans.htm)

I think it's all going to come down to the Mental strength of these 2 guys (Rossi and Edwards) they may be saying they won't retire now, but we are still only a couple of days out from the Incident, in the coming weeks and Months these guys are going to think about the Accident, dwell on it, throw around the Idea of "Could I have down more to avoid him?" or "Why not me?"

they have some tough times ahead, and I hope they talk to specialist people (Shrinks, Councillors, Wives, Girlfriends, whoever) they have some tough times in there own minds up ahead.

My only hope is they are constantly reminded, even by there own train of thought, that this was not your fault, there was nothing you or anyone else could have done to avoid this crash or this Death. Sic went in to this knowing this could be a potential outcome of this Sport.

this is terrible Accident, with the worst possible outcome, my biggest worry is that these 2 guys will go on to blame themselves, The little voice planting seeds of doubt can often be our biggest enemy.   

personally i think there's a 100% chance that neither one of them will retire before the end of next year.  Valentino moreso than Colin.

just wondered who was Simo's helmet sponsor ? I know any helmet would do the same just curious .

This also reminds me  of Dale Earnhardt's crash it did not look that bad but the head impact , that crash changed that sport now they all have to have the hanns device .

I think you will see a change because of this

AGV

I do not think they were similar.  I agree Dale's crash didn't look bad on the outside.  But the Sepang crash looked horrific even before contact was made.  If you read one of the links above, motogp says no changes could have prevented this.



mitt

I didn't say anything that sports writers or TV pundits aren't typing right now for their own columns and that you'll be reading within a week, anyway.

Read my post in it's entire context...not heartless at all.  People do die in motorsports; it's a brutal sport with little room for error or forgiveness.  The riders all know that going in, but one can't be great at it without ignoring that reality.  Great leaps forward in safety/protection are usually preceded by accidents like this one.

Yes, it's sad that a 24-year old kid died, but he isn't the only twenty-something being buried this year.  Many of those starved to death or died of AIDS in third-world countries; some blew themselves and innocent people up in cars or with bombs strapped to their bodies for personal (possibly questionable) causes while others OD'd on heroin; and I knew a few who went away to war and never came back.

Get used to it.

Thank you, although I'll note that I believe Rossi's better than that.

lil much doncha think?...at least for this topic/thread...

that having been said, these guys weild the fine razors edge of control like it was pencil and sometimes they just go a little too far beyond the limit and end up in situations we all don't wish to try and experience...whether it be from just a simple lowside at 100+ MPH...or being tossed 10+ feet in the air in a nasty highside and break some bone(s) as a result...or in this case, the passing of a great racer...and it isn't the 1st...and it may not be the last...last we all mourned as a group the passing of Peter Lenz...it is an unfortunate but very real reality of the sport/job that they do...this is the grisly but real utmost worst case scenario/result....

Didn't Earnhart die because he wasn't wearing the Hanns (sic?) device; his neck snapped.

Well, perhaps...guess I just reacted to being chastised by someone who needs to take a look around, which is what I was replying to.

Nuff said about this.

No shit people. Let the overstated be done. Damn... Get a grip folks. Let's focus on the loss and let the rest go. [thumbsup] Again, RIP Marco. [bow_down] [wine]

he wasn't wearing one, but the manufacturer has continually stopped short from saying it would've saved his life.

(http://www.asofterworld.com/clean/diner.jpg)

qft.

i was wondering if one of those leatt neck braces would have helped at first, but after seeing more pics of the incident, i doubt it.

and i'm glad that rossi and edwards are staying in the game.  motogp would have been really hard to watch without the character they bring to the sport.

+1

<mod hat>
If y'all want to have a pissing contest, do it elsewhere.
</mod hat>

lets switch gears a little bit then...fave Simo moment...I'll start with mine...

in a 1 off WSBK ride on the factory Aprilia RSV4 along side Max Biaggi, in the winding down laps of the 2nd race, here comes this hair on fire kid from seemingly out of nowhere into the last chicane before the start/finish straight and looking like he was a kamikaze accident barrelling into to the abyss of broken plastic does the unexpected and stuffs Max in a way and place that most riders don't seem to consider doing at that point on the track and keeps the bike in tact for the pass....that overzealousness which was his will to try and make the bike do things that seemingly bend to his will was what Marco was about,and while it wasn't always a success....it was damn spectactular and worthy of highlight reels when he pulled things like that off... 

Heh, LOL! [cheeky]

Simoncelli supera Biaggi Imola 2009 SBK (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndw06lQmQc4#)

Sbk imola 2009 sorpasso simoncelli a biaggi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dM-evmmae8#)

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/174355/1/rossi_emphatically_denies_quit_rumours.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/174355/1/rossi_emphatically_denies_quit_rumours.html)

That is one helluva move!  My favorite moment was this one last year, Sic just wasn't going to let Lorenzo pull a move on him!  The guy was like a rock wall, you know he felt him back there too and he easily just rode through and said NOPE!

Attempted pass Moto GP Valencia 2010 Lorenzo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-WQrZr-crE#)

 [thumbsup]

everything about that outing on the ape was highlight worthy.  he was insane on that thing.  in a good way.  =)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/mattroberts/2011/10/memories_of_marco.html (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/mattroberts/2011/10/memories_of_marco.html)

Some new information on Sic's funeral and pictures of his family.


Warning - some of the graphic photos of the impact are unfortunately embedded in the article  :(

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2053209/Marco-Simoncellis-body-arrives-Italy.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2053209/Marco-Simoncellis-body-arrives-Italy.html)

words from marco's father:  http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95668 (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95668)


btw, he says that marco was dead on the track.  there were some other mentions of media coverage contrary to this earlier this thread. 

in the Race Direction press conference the medical lead clearly says he was unconscious when they got to him.  plus, you can't intubate a conscious person.

of course it's just another person's opinion but when my wife (an ER/ICU nurse) watched the impact on Sunday, she was sure he was dead instantly.  as in sure he did not suffer, never knew what happened.

Fathers should never grieve sons.  :'(

I am going to go with this for myself.

I have no medical training whatsoever, but I turned off the TV immediately after the crash.  I didn't need to see the headlines.

BTW, Gresini will be at Valencia with Marco's #58 on display.  Just not sure if they're going to race.
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/174367/1/gresini_honda_to_attend_valencia_gp.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/174367/1/gresini_honda_to_attend_valencia_gp.html)

No parent should ever grieve a child.

It's a pain we're not trained to bear. It changes lives.

 :'(

Fausto has said they will have the tribute there but the team will not participate in the race or in the testing afterwards. Source is one of the last few articles posted but I am depressed to sort through and find it.

CIAO SuperSic. RIP  :'(

(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa289/ZLTFUL/RIP%20Marco/DSC_0405.jpg)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa289/ZLTFUL/RIP%20Marco/DSC_0472.jpg)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa289/ZLTFUL/RIP%20Marco/DSC_0476.jpg)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa289/ZLTFUL/RIP%20Marco/IMG_7986.jpg)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa289/ZLTFUL/RIP%20Marco/IMG_7139.jpg)
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa289/ZLTFUL/RIP%20Marco/IMG_7196.jpg)

being somewhat newly parent'd, twice over, i can't even begin to imagine.

:'(

And great Super Sic pictures, ZLTFUL.

Holy crap.

That was heart wrenching.

Seriously. I was on a tour bus full of guys when I read that. Had I been at home I don't think I could have held it in.

I was going to go into the guessing game of why and how did this happen, it will come out eventually, so all I have to write is

R.I.P Marco.  :'(


 

After reading that I had a lump in my throat and a tear in the eye. I feel for his family

After mentioning Paso, I wonder if honda will name a bike after Marco?

Called that one unfortunately.  Poor kid.   :-[   There's no way the earlier reports of him being conscious were right.  Ugh.  His dad also spoke about the "medics"..more like the keystone cops..fumbling about with Sic as they scurried him off the track.  Can totally see that happening after seeing them in action in the past.  Sad.   [thumbsdown]   Reading this article and being a new dad though..it sure does get the tears flowing.  Now being a parent..so many things I never thought twice about before are now so clear.   RIP Sic   

this being the crash?  we know exactly how it happened.

Appears that Fausto is certain they will be at Valencia but still uncertain if they will be competing.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/gresini+team+to+attend+valencia+gp (http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/gresini+team+to+attend+valencia+gp)

Gotta be hard for Fausto...not only was Marco the brightest star on his team, he really was genuinely fond of Marco.

The grief would kill my wife. If I died, she'd be aggravated and pissed. Her child? She'd drop dead right there. :P

I know how the crash happened too. I'm referring to the factors in which his helmet came flying off.

I'm not gonna get more into it, don't want to think about it.

I was thinking could it have been the traction control that threw the bike across the track like that ?

It seemed like a "normal " low side but then the bike just seemed to "grab " and shoot .

I was thinking that the TC was trying to achieve traction on the rear tire , normally it would not and the bike slides ..this time the tire does get traction on the asphalt when it is on its side , therefore shooting the bike .


Does this make sense ?

either the rear end slid around or the front end regained traction while he was holding on/fighting to save the lowside and he ended up pointing back across the track.

The front had regained traction as the back slid around more and the bike started to come back upright and the rear gained traction back literally shooting the bike in the other direction. A perfect storm scenario that was a billion shot. Incredibly unlikely any of us will see a similar crash in our lifetimes and for that alone I am thankful.

I thought some of the early articles said a rider in moto2 died last season in a similar accident?

mitt

Shoya Tomizawa ran wide onto the astroturf at the exit of Turn 11 at Misano.

He did lose the front, then the rear came around and the front regained a bit of grip as it was back on track.

More a case of falling directly on the racing line, rather than swinging back onto the line.

There's a helicopter shot which I saw once but haven't been able to find again (I'm guessing Dorna are playing whack-a-mole with copyright takedowns on every popular video sharing site) which make it look like he lost the front, and the back came round while he was sliding along holding it up on his knee and elbow - and when he finally got it to hook back up he was pointed straight across the track...

big

Without seeing any video specifically of Super Sic's crash that explanation makes some sense. I have been wondering all along how the hell do you loose the front and low side on a big right hand sweeper and slide back to the inside across the path of CE and Vale? Mother Nature and physics takes you outside to the left and onto the grassy runoff area. Safe and sound. Freak accident to be sure. [bang] :P

started to lose the front, was fighting it with knee and elbow, got it righted slightly, front suddenly regained traction, bam -- bike took a violent right turn, literally dragging him across the racing line.  with his back facing oncoming 90mph traffic since he was still hanging off the right side of the bike, unable to move.

this is why his father talked about what a warrior marco was and the fact that if he weren't, if he had just let the bike go, he'd be alive today.

http://motomatters.com/news/2011/10/27/thousands_pay_final_respects_to_marco_si.html (http://motomatters.com/news/2011/10/27/thousands_pay_final_respects_to_marco_si.html)

http://www.motogp.com/en/videos/latest+videos#Marco+Simoncellis+Funeral (http://www.motogp.com/en/videos/latest+videos#Marco+Simoncellis+Funeral)

http://www.youtube.com/user/regolios#p/u/7/6A_KagvvqiQ (http://www.youtube.com/user/regolios#p/u/7/6A_KagvvqiQ)

I refuse to watch the crash video ever again but the combination of explanations fit it all together.


I watched his funeral and I don't know if it is because of my love for the sport of motorcycle racing and who he was as a person or that I had met him if only for a brief 2 or 3 minute conversation at Indy in 2009 and could actually identify with who this person was that passed away but the funeral, the tributes, all of it has had me choked up more than a few times.

I was really looking forward to having Sic, Iannone, and Rossi all together on the same track...definitely my favorite 3 riders out there.

Rest easy, Marco. Save some slicks for the rest of us up there.

Sorry, that motogp.com video of the funeral just did me in. Monstrous loss to the sport and to the world. Again, thoughts and payers to Marco's family, friends and girlfriend. It's a loss to us all. 

Who was the guy at 4:29 on the motogp.com funeral video?



mitt

Fausto Gresini

http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/174403/1/marco_simoncelli_1987-2011.html (http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/174403/1/marco_simoncelli_1987-2011.html)

Same here.  I saw some of the still frame shots of the crash when I was looking through news updates, and that was a bit too much.  Seeing the wreck on the broadcast has been burned into my mind's eye, and that's bad enough.  I just keeps replaying in my head.  I was going to go for a ride on Sunday afternoon (probably the last time I could have weather-wise) but I didn't.  My mind wasn't with it.

I've never been this mournful over a death in professional sports.  Like everyone is saying here, it's like I lost a close friend.  Seeing the respect he got at his viewing and funeral just goes to show loved he was(is).  I'm glad I saw him race at Indy this year.

What a rider.  What a human being.  What a loss.

Ciao Marco.

I know a few helmet companies had been working on better methods, but none were deemed safe as they don't allow for quick emergency removal when needed.

I don't think there was any way it could have gone different once he popped across that corner. Even had the helmet stayed on, 2 gp bikes to the back and head

MotoGP.com's latest Rewind is a tribute to Marco...

http://www.motogp.com/en/videos/2011/MotoGP+Rewind+Marco+Simoncelli (http://www.motogp.com/en/videos/2011/MotoGP+Rewind+Marco+Simoncelli)

As is the latest After the Flag...

http://www.motogp.com/en/After+the+Flag (http://www.motogp.com/en/After+the+Flag)

Both are open videos to everyone.

 :-\

http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-edwards-i-was-hoping-for-a-miracle/ (http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/motogp-edwards-i-was-hoping-for-a-miracle/)

it's just not gonna get any easier...

http://superbikeplanet.com/2011/Oct/111027simvacation.htm (http://superbikeplanet.com/2011/Oct/111027simvacation.htm)

:-\

When does he get to...

'rest in peace'?

Oh that's right...

it isn't about him.

rumor is misano is going to be renamed in simoncelli's honor and his competition number is going to be retired.

I agree his # should be retired. At the least. The rest... I'm not so sure. It's not like I have anything to do with it. Knock yourselves out. How could that hurt?

If they wouldn't name it for Pasolini, there is no reason to rename it for Marco.  Both of them were regional heroes and both well loved.  Paso was much further in his career too.

Here's another idea...and a fine one at that:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marco-Simoncelli-Leave-Pole-position-free-next-moto-GP/168538953237138 (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marco-Simoncelli-Leave-Pole-position-free-next-moto-GP/168538953237138)

I like it. Kind of like the "missing man" flight formation. [thumbsup]

That was what I thought when  I read it. It would make a nice tribute.

 [thumbsup] [Dolph] [bow_down]

Its the larger than life characters that leave such an impression. Tall, lean 'n mean lookin', wild hair, mirror sunglasses and a devil may care attitude. Kind of iconic early seventies look. Jim Morrison, Billy Jack and Barry Sheene all rolled into one. One cool dude.

Sic looked about as mean as a teddy bear.

a teddy bear with a hendrix fro.

Ok, of course, we'll throw some Hendrix in then. :)

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95826 (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/95826)

"Next Sunday during the Valencia GP, instead of there being a minute's silence to honour Marco, I would prefer that there was a minute of total chaos with all the engines of the bikes of MotoGP, Moto2 and 125 all on and roaring together," Gazzetto dello Sport quotes Paolo Simoncelli as saying during an interview on television programme Domenica Cinque.

With Hendrix blaring

 [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]

That's very cool.  I can't imagine what he is feeling, I would be despondent.  It's at least good that so many people are reaching out to his parents.

very nice, very cool

Ditto. Fitting. [thumbsup] [Dolph] [beer]

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/misano+circuit+associated+with+Marco+Simoncelli (http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2011/misano+circuit+associated+with+Marco+Simoncelli)

 ???  ???

"associated" = 'honorary'.  will probably be referred to in general but not in promotions, race weekend items, etc.  may just mean his name becomes part of the entrance to the facility or something similar.

That's what motogp.com said - by association only.  No marketing, etc.

I saw this morning that Capirossi is running the # "58" in his final GP. [clap]

#11tybillion

its official, they changed the misano circuit to be the named after simo

Misano was the Italian racer’s home venue, and hence forth it will be renamed from the Misano World Circuit to the Marco Simoncelli World Circuit in honor of the fallen rider.

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/misano-circuit-marco-simoncelli-name/ (http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/racing/misano-circuit-marco-simoncelli-name/)

derby...
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=53231.msg983835#msg983835 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=53231.msg983835#msg983835)

doh, when i saw something about this they were still in the process of contacting the fam to make some kind of tribute... didnt see that your post already had it as official.

basically the same comment of the MotoGP site, except it's not clear they are renaming it, I think the asphalt and rubber may have it wrong.

so not a derby if it's legit!

(http://photos.motogp.com/2011/11/04/65loriscapirossi,motogp_slideshow.jpg)

 [thumbsup]

http://www.motomatters.com/blog/2011/12/02/photographer_s_blog_working_with_the_ber.html (http://www.motomatters.com/blog/2011/12/02/photographer_s_blog_working_with_the_ber.html)

that is cool

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jan/120104numberone.htm (http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jan/120104numberone.htm)

Ciao, Sic  :'(